Jorge Martín, the reigning World Champion, is showing signs of his old self again after an incredible performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix last week. It was only his third race since returning from a long injury absence, yet he managed to climb from 16th on the grid to finish a strong fourth at the new Balaton Park Circuit. What’s more, he clocked the race’s fastest lap along the way.

Speaking after the race, Martín admitted he was holding back at times to ensure a solid finish rather than risk a crash. “Today I feel like I am back… I could run a strong pace for 26 laps,” he told MotoGP.com, praising both his physical form and the tricky nature of the track.

He added thoughtfully: “I could have gone for the podium and crashed. So I prefer to finish fourth and keep building a solid base for the future.”

His mindset seems grounded in patience, but he remains optimistic in MotoGP.com interview: “Maybe next race I am on the podium. Or fighting for the victory… I will give 100%.”

Despite a rocky start to the year that included injuries and contract conflicts, Martín now feels settled with Aprilia. He described how the team’s rapid mid-race improvements at Balaton Park left him “really surprised”, a sign that both sides are finally back on the same page.

He also reflected to MotoGP.com, on how much it would mean to win races, especially with Aprilia. As he put it: “The challenge to bring Aprilia to winning gives me much more motivation and joy than just winning races. So the day I win with Aprilia will be fantastic.”

On the other hand, Balaton Park Circuit had its critics. Many dubbed it narrow, tricky for overtaking, and even potentially unsafe due to tight chicanes and limited run-off areas. But Martín defied expectations, saying happily to MotoGP.com: “I love it… I overtook 12 riders!”.

Looking ahead, Martín’s return to form is timely. The Hungarian GP was also marked by dramatic incidents, including Enea Bastianini’s heavy crash that raised further safety concerns, while Marc Márquez continued his dominance with a seventh straight sprint-race double

Yet Martín’s recovery and consistency could increasingly challenge that dominance. As his best performance since coming back, this fourth place and fastest lap send a clear signal: the ‘Martinator’ is ready to fight again.